MARRIOTT: Plans for three Adelaide hotels – Westin, Marriott and ?

Adelaide looks like it is going to win the trifecta when it comes to Marriot Hotels. Scheduled to open in August of 2024 is the Marriot brand hotel within the former Adelaide General Post Office. That is to be followed by a Westin Hotel on Adelaide’s cultural strip, North Terrace. The new tower will occupy 17 floors of the 183-metre tower to be built behind the current historic Freemasons building.

The third brand?

The third hotel from Marriot for Adelaide is shrouded in mystery. It is yet to be decided which Marriott brand it will take on. The Marriot and Westin brands are considered ‘premium’ in the Bonvoy/Marriot brand hierarchy. So the question is whether they will head up to Ritz Carlton, St Regis, W or Edition, stay premium with a Sheraton or Le Meridién, or go down with a Moxy or a Four Points. There are many options since Marriot now has a constellation of confusing brands.

“We have three signed deals here in Adelaide – the Marriott, Westin and another one on the way,

“These brands will induce demand for the city of Adelaide and make a lot of the older, more tired hotels lift their game, renovate and reposition, which is important.”

Sean Hunt, area vice president Australia, New Zealand and Pacific,

I’m taking that final comment about hotels lifting their game as a direct reference to the Intercontinental which has been promising a refurbishment for so long, that its origin date is now forgotten. Apparently, the property owner is showing a lot of reluctance to shell out the cash for the 20-year overdue refurbishment.

The new Marriot in the GPO

The new hotel will honour the original building by maintaining its facade, turning several former post office spaces into premium accommodaton for the hotel, and naming their top suite after the postmaster Sir Charles Todd.

Marriott International operates more than 30 properties in Australia including the brands Sheraton, W Hotels and The Ritz Carlton .

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The new Marriot will be a great assett to the Adelaide Hotel market, which already getw overwhelmed when there are big occasions in the city. The Intercontinental, where I have spent dozens if not hundreds of nights is really showing its age now. If it were not for its extremely good position, and its sometimes bargain prices, it would be challenged to survive.

Adelaide has seen the opening of a Sofitel and the EOS by SkyCity which compete in the luxury market. These new additions like the Westin and the Marriot will certainly smarten up the scene.

My bet for the third brand will be something contemporary like a Moxy, but with a Ritz Carlton in Melbourne, and a fabulous similarly branded hotel in Perth, maybe Marriot will add to the Adelaide luxury hotel market.